When the temperature soars, an ice-cold glass of homemade lemonade is the perfect way to cool down — and you don’t need to heat a stove to make it.
This recipe uses a no-cook simple syrup: the acidity of fresh lemon juice helps dissolve the sugar, so there’s no need to simmer a syrup. With just a few simple ingredients, you’ll have bright, refreshing lemonade in no time.
Homemade lemonade from scratch requires no heat or cooking a simple syrup
You’ll love this recipe!
- Quick and easy — simple, everyday ingredients
- Balanced flavor — not too bitter, tart, or cloyingly sweet
- All-natural — no additives, preservatives, or artificial colors
- Customizable — make it sweeter or tangier to suit your taste
This recipe yields one quart (4 cups) of lemonade. It’s ideal for a small gathering; double the ingredients if you’re serving a crowd.
Fresh lemon zest and real lemon juice give this drink a depth of flavor that bottled brands can’t match. A pinch of salt rounds and balances the flavors for an exceptionally refreshing result.
Serve a tall glass with a summer sandwich or salad, or enjoy it on its own over plenty of ice.
Here’s what you’ll need
Tools: a microplane or fine grater for zest and a lemon juicer are helpful. Ingredients: fresh lemons, granulated sugar, a pinch of kosher salt, hot water to dissolve the sugar, and cold water to dilute the concentrate.
Here’s how to make it
The key is fresh lemon zest and juice — avoid bottled lemon juice or extracts. The first steps create a chilled lemon concentrate that takes the place of a cooked simple syrup.
After juicing and straining the lemons, combine the juice with the sugar, lemon zest, salt, and hot water so the sugar dissolves. Chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes — this is your lemon concentrate.
When the concentrate is chilled, strain it into a pitcher, add 2 cups of cold water and ice, stir, and serve.
Recipe tips
Although this is a simple recipe, a few tips will help ensure great results:
- A large, juicy lemon yields roughly 2–3 tablespoons of juice. Plan for 5–6 large lemons to get 3/4 cup of juice after straining.
- Zest only the yellow outer skin — avoid the white pith, which is bitter. You’ll need about 3 tablespoons of zest (zest from about 2 large lemons).
- If a lemon isn’t juicy, have an extra one on hand so you don’t come up short.
Yield
This recipe makes 2 cups of lemon concentrate. Add 2 cups of cold water to yield 4 cups (32 ounces) of finished lemonade. Double the recipe for a larger pitcher.
Adjust sweetness or tartness to taste: add more sugar for sweetness or more lemon juice for a brighter, tangier drink.
Storage
Keep the no-cook lemon concentrate covered in the refrigerator for up to seven days. When ready to serve, dilute with equal parts cold water and ice.
Related recipes
Enjoy a glass of cold lemonade alongside classic summer dishes:
- Deviled Ham
- Pimento Cheese
- Cold Shrimp Salad
- Marinated Cucumber and Onion Salad
- Chicken Salad
- Seafood Cobb Salad
- Fried Catfish
- Chambord Champagne Cocktail
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rating — it’s always great to hear from you!
Homemade Lemonade — No-Cook Simple Syrup
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Ingredients
- ¾ cup lemon juice , fresh; (about 5-6 large lemons juiced and strained)
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest (zest from 2 of the lemons)
- ¾ cup sugar , granulated
- ⅛ teaspoon salt , kosher
- 1 cup water , hot
- 2 cups water , cold
Instructions
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Rinse and scrub 2 large lemons; zest lemons; place zest in small mixing bowl with sugar, salt and hot water; stir until sugar dissolves; allow to cool
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While the sugar mixture is cooling, juice lemons and strain seeds; you’ll need ¾ cup of lemon juice (about 5-6 lemons)
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Add lemon juice to sugar/lemon zest mixture; stir
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Strain mixture into a jar and refrigerate for at least 30-minutes
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Pour lemonade mixture into a 32 quart pitcher
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Add 2 cups cold water and ice; stir and serve
Notes
If you want to make this in advance, cover and refrigerate the lemon concentrate until you’re ready to add more water and serve.
To make one glass of lemonade, use equal proportions of the lemon concentrate and cold water: for example, mix 1/2 cup concentrate with 1/2 cup cold water.
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